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Hm Rebekah Send a noteboard - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM
I found it bizarre that the Pilate chapers were so good but much of the rest of the book felt like a bad translation. What was up with that? I wonder how it comes off in Russian.


I'm possibly making stuff up, but I think Tim thought that too.

I didn't.

The two bits were obviously meant to feel different - one being the story written by one of the characters in the other story.

The Pilate story is very lucid, easy to follow, and understandable. It's a retelling of a very famous story, but this time from the "bad guy's" perspective. We know what's coming with the main action, so we can focus on the character instead. (At least, that's what I thought.)

The other story is completely different. It's madcap, it's anarchic, it's fantastical and bizarre, and so far out of the realm of normal life that it's hard to follow. I think that came across perfectly in the translation I read. It wasn't meant to feel smooth and accessible.

So. It mightn't be the translation? Or it might be a combination of the two things?
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM 1597 Views
Things you liked Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:37:57 AM 1002 Views
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You don't have to post only under those headings. Rebekah - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1034 Views
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Yeah. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 960 Views
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There wasn't much character-building, was there? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1107 Views
Too much crazy. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1069 Views
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Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 964 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1093 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 985 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1012 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* Tim - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 530 Views
Mm, not just that. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1056 Views
That's how I read it, also. Michael - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1046 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1054 Views
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You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1074 Views
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Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1050 Views
may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 922 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 529 Views
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The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. Ghavrel - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1064 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 945 Views
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Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 512 Views
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That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 972 Views
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I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1139 Views
I haven't collected my thoughts on the experience of reading the novel yet, but I wanted to share... Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:50:03 PM 1075 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1096 Views
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I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 860 Views
My thoughts Tom - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1150 Views
Does this story translate well? Jacob - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 970 Views
I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1082 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. Jacob - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 958 Views
About evil in this book. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 881 Views
There is a Russian author who believes Margarita was Gorky's girlfriend. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:15:13 AM 1045 Views
More about evil in this book. Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 998 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 861 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1235 Views
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For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 498 Views
I am trying to catch up. I've had NO time to read lately. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:58:23 AM 1056 Views
An anniversary, a birthday, and a successful job interview do tend to slow me down somewhat Larry - 21/07/2010 02:08:10 PM 919 Views
I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 481 Views
Vacation and all the stuff associated with it. Will try to write something, but it might be a while. *NM* Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:03:57 AM 499 Views
Give me a day or two to catch up on things and finish the book. *NM* Legolas - 24/07/2010 11:14:17 PM 479 Views
Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 1007 Views
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Indeed, it may have. Michael - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1532 Views
I've finished. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 987 Views
I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and it sounds like my feelings on almost all of it are Tashmere - 28/07/2010 05:48:07 AM 851 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? Tom - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1099 Views
I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1086 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 984 Views
Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1035 Views
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